What Concrete Removal Costs in Miami-Dade
Removal is priced mostly by square foot. Thickness, reinforcement, and access move the price from there.
Removal Price by Job Type
These are planning ranges that include breaking, loading, hauling, and disposal. Your final price depends on what the site visit finds.
What a Typical Job Totals
Square footage drives the total, and weight drives the hauling. Concrete weighs about 150 pounds per cubic foot, so a standard driveway adds up fast:
- 400 sq ft driveway at 4 inches: about $800 to $1,600, and roughly 10 tons of debris
- 600 sq ft driveway at 4 inches: about $1,200 to $2,400, and roughly 15 tons of debris
- Small walkway or pad under 100 sq ft:
often priced as a minimum charge rather than by the foot
What Raises or Lowers the Price Around Miami
Two slabs of the same size can take very different effort to remove. These are the factors we look at first during a site visit.
Thickness and Reinforcement
Thicker concrete takes longer to break and weighs more to haul. Steel inside the slab adds another step, since it has to be cut and pulled out:
- Slabs thicker than 4 inches
- Rebar or heavy wire mesh
- Older driveways that were patched or poured over a second time
Access and Equipment
Machines make removal faster and cheaper when they can reach the slab. Tight lots slow everything down:
- Narrow side yards where only a small machine fits
- Backyard patios behind fences, pools, or landscaping
- Long distances between the slab and where the truck can park
What Is Under and Around the Slab
Some surprises only show up once the concrete is broken. A good estimate accounts for the common ones:
- Tree roots that lifted the slab
- Buried debris or old fill under the base
- Pipes, sprinkler lines, or conduit near the surface
NEED A CONCRETE REMOVAL ESTIMATE NOW?
How a Removal Job Works in South Florida
A clean removal follows the same basic order every time. Skipping a step usually shows up later as damage, delays, or extra cost.
Plan and Locate Utilities
Florida law requires anyone digging to contact
Sunshine 811 at least two full business days before work starts. The utilities then mark their buried lines, so the crew knows where to be careful. We also check property lines, nearby trees, and anything that must stay protected.
Cut, Break, and Load
Where old concrete meets concrete you are keeping, the crew saw-cuts a straight line first. That stops cracks from spreading into the good slab. After that, the work moves quickly:
- An excavator or jackhammer breaks the slab into manageable pieces
- Steel is cut free and set aside
- Pieces are loaded straight into trucks or a roll-off container
Clean Up and Prep the Base
Once the concrete is gone, the ground underneath is graded and checked. If a new slab is going in, this is where base prep starts. Our
concrete removal and replacement crews handle both steps, so there is no gap between the tear-out and the new pour.
Where Your Old Concrete Goes in Miami-Dade
Most homeowners never ask what happens to their old driveway. The answer matters, because it affects disposal cost and how much ends up in a landfill.
Recycling Into Road Base and Fill
Clean concrete is one of the easiest construction materials to recycle. Crushing plants break it down into aggregate that gets used again. The
Florida DEP construction and demolition recycling guide lists common reuses:
- Road base and construction projects
- Drainage material
- Clean fill
Steel Goes to Scrap
Rebar and wire mesh pulled from the slab are not wasted. Scrap metal recyclers accept them, and their value can offset a small part of hauling costs.
Mixed Debris Goes to a Transfer Station
Concrete mixed with dirt, wood, or trash is harder to recycle. That load usually goes to a construction debris transfer station or landfill, which often costs more per ton. Keeping concrete clean during removal helps keep it out of the landfill.
Hiring a Removal Crew in Miami
The cheapest removal quote can turn expensive if hauling and disposal are left out. Get two or three estimates, then compare what each one actually covers, not just the total.
What a Removal Quote Should Include
A vague quote leaves room for surprise charges later. Ask every contractor to put these details in writing:
- Square footage and thickness being removed
- Who handles saw cutting and steel removal
- Hauling and disposal fees, included or extra
- Where the debris will be taken
- Base grading after removal
- Protection for nearby concrete, landscaping, and pipes
Why One Crew for Removal and Replacement Saves Money
When removal and the new pour are handled by separate companies, each one adds its own markup and schedule. One crew can tear out, prep, and pour without waiting on another trade. Our
demolition and debris removal services use our own excavators and trucks, which keeps hauling in-house and off a third-party invoice.
Get a Removal Quote From Stones Throw Concrete
Our owner, Alan, visits every site before pricing it. He checks the slab, the access, and what is underneath, then writes an estimate that spells out removal, hauling, and disposal. If a new driveway comes next, our guide to
concrete driveway cost in Miami covers what the pour itself costs. Call
(305) 343-2939 to schedule your site visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I break up and haul small amounts of concrete myself?
For a very small job, yes. Residents of unincorporated Miami-Dade and some partner cities can drop off up to three cubic yards of construction debris, including concrete, per day at County Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers. Anything larger quickly becomes a job for heavy equipment and a dump truck.
Will removal damage my lawn or the rest of my property?
Heavy machines can leave ruts in soft ground, especially after summer rain. A careful crew uses plywood or mats on the lawn, plans the truck route ahead of time, and saw-cuts any concrete that stays. We walk the route with you before work starts so there are no surprises.
Should I remove concrete before or after a new driveway is quoted?
Get the quote first. Removal and replacement priced together usually cost less than two separate jobs, and the contractor can plan the base work around what comes out. It also leaves one company responsible for the finished result.
